Dual Battery Setup in '05 V-6

[Teotwaki]

There is a kit sold for FJs and I worked a deal on it, providing feedback as to the differences with 4Runners. The fenderwell mounting and battery position are a bit different for our 4Runners. The kit has all cables premade. Kit from Dirty Parts in Culver City, CA

Optima yellowtop battery mounted on fenderwell using battery tray made to fit, leveled by poly spacers underneath. Leaving room for the hood gas strut was critical.



Control solenoid (200A continuous) mounted to battery tray. Battery control is essentialy manual: Secondary battery in parallel only when ignition switch is on (battery isolated when ignition is off), secondary battery isolated from primary, or secondary battery can be forced in even if primary is dead (self jump start mode). See control switch pix below.


Control switch in cab. Dual color LED: Green when ignition switch on, red if battery is forced across primary battery.



Wiring to control switch through firewall. Main battery lead next to it.



Connection of secondary battery cable to primary battery


I am still undecided about isolators (lossy) or the automated solenoid used by Andries. Pros and cons for each. Right now I have a secondary battery installed and I can use so and I can modify the wiring later.

[bulldog]

Very nicely done. Looks great!!

For most purposes the isolator setup you have now is fine. It is the same as the Painless kti sold to many folsk. I just preferred the staging of the connect and disconnect, which will only make a difference in the worst circumstances. No need to worry about it for quite some time. If I were you I would probably not change it, unless you have a specific need that is outside the operation of the current setup.

[Mikestang]

Do you have a part #/web link for the kit? Looks simple, which is just what I would want when I do this.

[Teotwaki]

Originally Posted by Mikestang

Do you have a part #/web link for the kit? Looks simple, which is just what I would want when I do this.

http://www.dirtyparts.com/

Don't know if it is has a kit number assigned.

Ask for Larry. The normal price is discounted for members of the 4x4adventure.net forum and it accounts for all of the labor of building the cabling.

If you researched and bought parts and built your own cables you'd save a bunch of bucks. For me the price was right and saved me a ton of time

[bulldog]

Originally Posted by Mikestang

Do you have a part #/web link for the kit? Looks simple, which is just what I would want when I do this.

I'm not sure if the kit will work with the V8, since the airbox takes a lot of space on the fender. You might want to validate that first. The V6 has lots more space on the fender than the V8.

It might just be a V6 availible mod as Jim stated.

[Mikestang]

From the picts it looks like the battery is tucked back far enough, or I could always use a smaller battery there.

[bulldog]

Originally Posted by Mikestang

From the picts it looks like the battery is tucked back far enough, or I could always use a smaller battery there.

It looks like it might fit with the V8 airbox, but you will probably have to validate. It will be killer if it does work for the V8 as well.

I do like the battery mount a lot adn it is nice to have a complete kit.

[bulldog]

BTW Jim, what size optima battery is it?

[Teotwaki]

Originally Posted by Mikestang

From the picts it looks like the battery is tucked back far enough, or I could always use a smaller battery there.

The front of my battery tray essentially ends at the point where the bolt for the air conditioning line bracket is. I can always take an overhead pix to help.

[Teotwaki]

Originally Posted by bulldog

BTW Jim, what size optima battery is it?

I think it is a 34/78 deep cycle dual posts (top and front) #750UDC

BCI Groups: D34
Terminal: Dual Post
Voltage: 13.2V
Cold Cranking Amps: 750
Reserve Capacity: 120 Min.
Capacity (C/20 Rate): 55 Ah
Size: 10" L x 6.8" W x 7.8" H
Weight: 48.3 lbs

[bulldog]

Originally Posted by Teotwaki

I think it is a 34/78 deep cycle dual posts (top and front) #750UDC

BCI Groups: D34
Terminal: Dual Post
Voltage: 13.2V
Cold Cranking Amps: 750
Reserve Capacity: 120 Min.
Capacity (C/20 Rate): 55 Ah
Size: 10" L x 6.8" W x 7.8" H
Weight: 48.3 lbs

That is a very handy size to have. If the need arise I might look into that, if the plate, etc will fit in my 4Runner. Or alternatively upgrade mine to a Odyssey 1200 with plate. Will see how the 925 serves me when working properly, it is 1/2 the capacity of the Optima though.

[mntbikr18]

How does the tray mount in?

[Teotwaki]

Originally Posted by mntbikr18

How does the tray mount in?

4 bolts through the sheet metal with very short spacers in the front and longer tubular poly ones in the back to match the curve of the fenderwell. I spent some time shaping the spacers to get the fit that I wanted.

If you have access to metal working tools you could make a custom bracket. My simple one has held up fine and never come loose, even offroading.

[Crozhawk]

clean ....nice work Jim

[mntbikr18]

Originally Posted by Teotwaki

4 bolts through the sheet metal with very short spacers in the front and longer tubular poly ones in the back to match the curve of the fenderwell. I spent some time shaping the spacers to get the fit that I wanted.

If you have access to metal working tools you could make a custom bracket. My simple one has held up fine and never come loose, even offroading.

So the tray wasnt part of the kit, thats something Ill have to handle on my own?

Thanks

[Teotwaki]

Originally Posted by mntbikr18

So the tray wasnt part of the kit, thats something Ill have to handle on my own?

Thanks

The kit included the tray and that kit was originally sold for the FJ Cruiser. Although the 4Runner and FJC are very similar vehicles, dimensions can vary.

If you are handy with tools and wiring you could save a bunch and build your own "kit".

[Teotwaki]

Originally Posted by Crozhawk

clean ....nice work Jim

Thanks! That is high praise coming from someone with their own fabulous rig!

[mntbikr18]

Meh....I could prob do it and save a lot of time.

However I am horribly lazy when it comes to such things and value my time pretty highly.

Did the poly spacers come with the kit as well?

Thanks for the help

[Teotwaki]

Originally Posted by mntbikr18

Meh....I could prob do it and save a lot of time.

However I am horribly lazy when it comes to such things and value my time pretty highly.

Did the poly spacers come with the kit as well?

Thanks for the help

Yes the first ones were a little short so tell Larry that you have a 4Runner and that you want longer pieces of poly to trim to fit.

[AlexJet]

Originally Posted by Teotwaki

I need new terminals for my battery, but can't locate inexpensive full covered terminals. Where did you get those?